A fundamental shift is underway in the global media and marketing landscape. The world’s largest brands are no longer just buying media…they’re building it.

For decades, major brands allocated the majority of their marketing budgets to traditional advertising, particularly television commercials. Today, a growing portion of those budgets is being redirected toward brand-owned media, original content production, and direct-to-consumer media platforms.Rather than simply purchasing advertising space within existing media channels, many companies are now producing their own content, operating digital networks, and building studio-grade media capabilities. In effect, brands are beginning to function as content creators, broadcasters, and studios.

This transformation is being driven by dramatic changes in media consumption, fragmentation of television audiences, the rise of streaming platforms, and the increasing importance of direct relationships between brands and consumers.

For companies across industries, the strategic question is no longer whether content creation will become part of brand marketing, but how quickly they should adapt to this evolving model.

Market Size and Budget Shifts

The global advertising market continues to grow, but the composition of that spending is changing significantly.

Global advertising revenue is projected to exceed $1.1 trillion annually by 2025, according to WPP and GroupM forecasts. However, traditional television advertising is no longer the primary growth engine.

Several major financial trends illustrate the shift:

Traditional TV advertising growth has slowed to under 1% annually, with some forecasts predicting declines in certain markets.
Connected TV (CTV) advertising is growing at more than 15–20% annually, becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of media.
The creator economy advertising market is expected to exceed $37 billion in the U.S. alone by 2025, more than doubling since 2021.
The global content marketing market is estimated at over $500 billion annually and projected to reach over $1 trillion by the early 2030s.
Global streaming video advertising revenue is expected to exceed $90 billion by 2026.

At the same time, traditional linear television viewership continues to decline as audiences migrate toward streaming, digital video, and social platforms.

Importantly, much of the new spending is not going toward traditional 30-second advertisements.

Instead, brands are increasingly investing in:

Original programming
Digital video networks (OTT and Fast Channels)
Podcasts and streaming channels
Documentary and long-form storytelling
Creator partnerships and influencer programming
Recurring digital franchises and shows

This reflects a broader shift from interruption-based advertising to engagement-based storytelling.

Why Brands Are Becoming Content Creators

Audience Fragmentation

Traditional television once delivered large, unified audiences. Today, viewers consume content across streaming platforms, social media, podcasts, and mobile devices.

In the United States, the average consumer now spends over 7 hours per day consuming digital media, with streaming video and social media accounting for a growing share of that time.

As a result, the ability of a single commercial campaign to reach mass audiences has declined dramatically.

Brands increasingly find it more effective to create ongoing content ecosystems that engage audiences across multiple platforms rather than relying solely on short-term advertising campaigns.

Direct Relationships With Consumers

Brand-owned media allows companies to establish direct relationships with audiences.

Instead of renting attention through advertisements placed in someone else’s programming, brands can build their own audiences and communities through original content platforms.

This direct connection provides:

Greater control over messaging
Stronger customer loyalty
Higher audience engagement
Valuable first-party audience data

UBS Set with Gear

Control Over Storytelling

Traditional advertising limits brands to brief messaging windows.

Content creation allows companies to tell deeper and more meaningful stories about their expertise, products, and values.

Through original programming, brands can position themselves as authorities within their industries and develop stronger emotional connections with viewers.

Data and Audience Insights

Owned media platforms also provide access to valuable audience insights, including:

Viewing patterns
Engagement behavior
Content preferences
Demographics
Conversion patterns

These insights allow brands to refine both marketing strategies and product offerings based on real consumer behavior.

Examples of Brands Operating as Media Companies

The Schwab Network

One of the most notable examples of brand-owned media is The Schwab Network, originally launched by TD Ameritrade in 2017 and later integrated into Charles Schwab following its acquisition of TD Ameritrade in 2021.

The network was developed in partnership with Broadcast Management Group (BMG), leveraging BMG’s expertise in content creation, network operations, distribution, and technical infrastructure.

The Schwab Network produces live and on-demand programming focused on financial markets, investing, and economic analysis. Its daily lineup includes shows such as:

Opening Bell
Fast Market
Trading 360
Market on Close

Rather than relying solely on advertising campaigns to build awareness, Schwab provides continuous financial programming that attracts investors and reinforces the company’s authority within the financial services sector.

Schwab now operates a dedicated 24/7 financial media OTT network that directly supports its core business and customer engagement strategy.

Red Bull Media House

Red Bull is widely considered a pioneer of brand-funded media. Through Red Bull Media House, the company produces documentaries, live sports programming, films, magazines, and digital content distributed globally.

Red Bull’s media division operates like a full-scale production studio and has become one of the most successful examples of branded entertainment.

Starbucks Studios

Starbucks recently launched Starbucks Studios, an initiative designed to produce original entertainment and storytelling content aligned with the brand’s cultural identity.

This move reflects a growing recognition among major consumer brands that media production can be a powerful tool for long-term audience engagement.

Marriott Content Studio

Marriott has also invested heavily in content creation through its Marriott Content Studio, producing travel documentaries, lifestyle programming, and branded storytelling projects.

These efforts allow Marriott to inspire travel experiences while simultaneously promoting its hospitality services.

Why Major Brands Should Take Note

The shift toward brand-owned media is not limited to a few innovative companies. It represents a broader transformation in how brands communicate with audiences.

Companies that adopt content-driven strategies can gain several advantages.

Long-Term Audience Relationships

Traditional advertising campaigns typically generate short bursts of visibility.

Content ecosystems create ongoing engagement. Recurring programming, digital series, and branded channels allow companies to build loyal audiences over time.

These long-term relationships often translate into stronger customer loyalty and higher lifetime value.

Strategic Independence

Brands that rely entirely on external media platforms are vulnerable to rising advertising costs and changing distribution dynamics.

Owned content platforms provide greater independence and reduce reliance on third-party media channels.

Over time, companies can develop proprietary audiences they can reach without purchasing advertising inventory.

Valuable Intellectual Property

Unlike advertisements that disappear once a campaign ends, original content can generate value for years.

Documentaries, television series, and educational programming can be repurposed across multiple platforms and formats.

Over time, these content libraries become valuable intellectual property assets that strengthen brand identity.

Authority and Thought Leadership

Content allows brands to position themselves as industry leaders rather than simply advertisers.

Financial companies can provide investment education. Technology companies can explain emerging innovations. Consumer brands can create cultural and lifestyle programming aligned with their products.

In each case, content strengthens brand authority and credibility.

UBS Set with Gear

Implications for Studios and Production Companies

The rise of brand-owned media is creating a new and rapidly growing market for content production services.

Many brands want to develop media platforms but do not necessarily want to build full-scale production organizations internally. Instead, they rely on external partners to provide:

Content creation and creative development
Studio production facilities
Live broadcasting infrastructure
Technical production crews
Post-production services
Media asset management
Distribution strategy

This has proven to be a major area of growth for companies like Broadcast Management Group, which has invested in multitenant infrastructure and a private cloud network operations center designed to support broadcast and enterprise-level content production.

By leveraging industry expertise, technical infrastructure, and managed production services, enterprise companies can accelerate time to market, reduce capital costs, and launch media platforms more efficiently.

As more companies adopt this strategy, demand for production services is expected to expand beyond traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms to include:

Financial institutions
Consumer brands
Pharmaceutical companies
Technology companies
Retailers

The traditional model of brand marketing, centered primarily around purchasing advertising placements, is evolving into a new paradigm in which companies operate as content creators and media platforms.

As audiences continue to shift toward streaming, social video, and creator-driven ecosystems, brands increasingly recognize the value of owning their media relationships.

Companies that invest in content creation capabilities today will be better positioned to: